Cruciatus
by the-Bookworm-Princess
Summary: Missing scene from Progeny. RodneyElizabeth angst. Rated T for violence.


**A/N: Special thanks to Commodore Norrington for betaing this.

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_"See, the way to motivate a man like you, Miss McKay… not to threaten your life, to threaten the lives of your friends." - Torrell, "Condemned"_

Rodney watched worriedly as Teyla, Ronon, and John placed their weapons on the floor. They were _so_ screwed.

"Now, I thought you didn't want us here, Oberoth," Elizabeth said calmly. She was always so calm in these situations.

"I don't," Oberoth answered with his eternal frown. "But you possess information that I simply _must_ have."

The next thing the team knew, the guards holding them at gunpoint fired their weapons, zapping them all into unconsciousness.

XXXXXX

When Rodney woke up on the cold floor, he had to struggle just to open his eyes. Whatever kind of weapon he had been shot with, it had a very strong lingering effect. Blinking several times and trying to get his bearings, Rodney's eyes eventually focused on Elizabeth. She was slumped over in a chair, her hands and feet bound to its metal frame. He opened his mouth and tried several times to call out to her, but all that came out were croaking noises. He cleared his throat and called again. "Elizabeth!"

No answer.

Rodney tried to move, but it was as if he were paralyzed. None of his muscles would respond to his commands. "Elizabeth!" He shouted louder this time.

"She can't hear you, Dr. McKay," came a voice from behind him.

Had Rodney been able to, he would have whirled around-- rolled over, rather. Indeed he tried, but could not force his head to turn even a fraction of an inch. "Who's there?" he called. "And what the hell do you want?"

"You may call me Rione," the man said. "But my name is not important." There was a pause for a moment and then the man stepped into Rodney's line of sight. At least, his feet did. Rodney still couldn't tilt his head to look up. Knowing full well the long-lasting power of his weapon, the man squatted down next to Rodney and cocked his head to look at the scientist. "The only thing you need to know is that you are going to answer my questions," he said with a somewhat sadistic grin.

Rodney instinctively didn't like the man. He was huge and muscular, dressed the same as all the others, only he had a large knife at his waist. Rodney didn't like the way Rione's icy blue eyes seemed to bore into his mind. "I won't tell you anything," he muttered defiantly.

Rione grinned again. "In time, Dr. McKay," he murmured, "you will." With hardly any difficulty, he pulled McKay into a sitting position and propped him up against the wall. "Your long-haired friend didn't break and he paid the price for that," he said, pulling out his knife and running his fingertips gently over the blade.

Rodney's eyes searched his captor's worriedly. "Ronon's dead?" he asked after a pause.

Rione nodded. "A very strong man," he commented, slipping his knife back into its sheath. "He died well, if it makes you feel any better."

Rodney tried to look down, to hide the pain in his eyes from Rione, but couldn't and so just closed his eyes. It wasn't like he and Ronon were best buds, but still… He suddenly had a thought. Eyes open. "Sheppard?" he asked. "And Teyla?"

"They are being broken as we speak," his tormentor said almost cheerfully.

"So," Rodney began, somewhat shakily, "you're going to…torture me, too?"

Rione shook his head with a smile. "Not you _personally_, Dr. McKay," he said and then nodded his head in the direction of Elizabeth. "Her."

Rodney felt his heart skip a beat. And it hurt. "Why her?"

Rione stared into Rodney's eyes for a moment. "Surely you know," he answered. When Rodney just gave him a confused look, he sighed. "Because you care for her." Another soul-searching stare from those icy blue orbs. "As Niam may have told you, some of us possess certain…powers, I suppose you would call them." Rodney raised an eyebrow. "I myself am able to achieve a certain level of telepathy with those having a weaker mind than mine." Rodney frowned at this insult, but Rione continued. "And you care very much for this woman, though you would never tell her." Rodney attempted to shake his head, and succeeded in just barely making it swivel. Rione frowned. "Careful, Doctor," he warned, walking over to a table at the far side of the room. "I wouldn't want to have to shoot you again for regaining your mobility."

Rodney thought about that and then decided to remain still. He had nearly shouted that Rione not touch her if he wanted to live to see another day, but that would have just proven what the man had said was true and he really didn't think that would make things any better for Elizabeth. This would teach him. He promised himself that if--'_Positive thoughts, Rodney. Positive thoughts.'_--_when _they got out of here, he would tell her. He just had to think of a plan to keep them both alive until… Well, until _what_ he didn't know. Until Sheppard broke out and freed them, he supposed. Or Teyla. He wouldn't mind Teyla saving his butt. So absorbed in his own thoughts, he hadn't been paying attention to what Rione had been doing. He looked up when he heard a splash.

Rione had thrown a pitcher full of water in Elizabeth's face, and she was now spluttering and shaking the water from her eyes. Rodney wondered vaguely why she apparently had more muscle control than he did. Like it really mattered why… "What the hell?" she muttered, trying to figure out where she was and what had happened.

"Welcome back, Dr. Weir," Rione said with a smile. "You have been out for some time."

"Who are you?" she asked, trying to figure out why the only parts of her body able to move were her head and neck. She felt rope and sighed dejectedly as her captor answered her.

"It does not matter," he growled. "You are only to answer my questions."

"Like hell I will," she spat.

Rodney smiled slightly. '_Go Elizabeth!'_

"Oh, believe me, Dr. Weir, you _will_," he said, then suddenly pulled his knife from its sheath and slashed at her shoulder, cutting through the fabric and drawing blood. Elizabeth cried out, more from surprise than pain; the cut really wasn't very deep.

"You bastard," Rodney growled.

"Unless you are telling me what I need to know, I suggest you keep quiet, Dr. McKay," Rione said, leveling his knife at Rodney. "It will go much better for you both." Rodney thought of an insult, but bit his tongue for Elizabeth's sake.

"Tell me the gate address for Atlantis."

Elizabeth set her jaw and answered firmly, "No."

This time he left a long cut across her cheek. Elizabeth managed not to cry out. Rodney's mind was screaming at his muscles to get up and tackle the man.

"Please, Dr. Weir," Rione said in a gentler tone as he softly touched her cheek just below the gash. "The symbols?" When Elizabeth recoiled from his touch and bit his hand, he growled and slapped her forcefully across the face, much to Rodney's dismay.

Five minutes later, Rodney still had no mobility and Elizabeth had cuts on her cheek and shoulder, a stab wound in her thigh, and a busted lip. "I tire of your defiance," her tormentor whispered next to her head, nipping her ear. Elizabeth couldn't control a small shudder. Rione gently stroked her hair and then wiped away the tears that stained her cheeks.

"If you do not answer my questions, I will be forced to take more drastic measures," he said, placing the heel of his hand over the wound in her leg and pressing down suddenly. Elizabeth cried out and Rodney cursed the man. "Perhaps one on your right leg to match?" he asked, positioning the tip of his knife over her thigh and applying a little pressure.

"You bastard, leave her alone!" Rodney cried. "Why don't you give me a try?" His bravery surprised even him.

"Because, Dr. McKay, I would not have nearly as much fun with you." Rione returned his attention to Elizabeth. "You still refuse to tell me?" She refused to even look at him. He sighed. "Your choice," he murmured and pressed the knife down. Elizabeth whimpered when the blade broke through her skin. "How deep would you like this one, Doctor?"

"I'll tell you!" Rodney cried at last. "Just stop, dammit!"

"Rodney, don't you tell him anything!" Elizabeth warned.

Rione backhanded her. "Alright, McKay," he said. "Tell me the symbols."

Rodney looked at Elizabeth, bleeding, bruised. Her eyes pleaded with him and she shook her head 'no.'

Not that he believed Rione was just going to release them both if he spilled his guts, but Rodney couldn't bear to watch him hurt Elizabeth anymore. But she was begging him _not_ to tell!

"I warn you, I'm not a patient man," Rione growled, pushing the knife deeper into her leg.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and continued slowly shaking her head.

Rodney looked down.

"Dr. McKay!"

Rodney glared at the man. "Go to hell!" He saw Rione's eyes flash in anger.

"I would hate to think that I should have to start breaking her delicate little fingers," he threatened, taking one of Elizabeth's hands in his and gently stroking it.

"You do, and I swear to God I'l--"

"You'll what?" Rione sneered, slowly bending back Elizabeth's pinky finger until he heard her inhale sharply. "Answer me or I _will_ break them. One by one…" Rodney was silent. "Well?" Nothing but another McKay-glare. Then there was a snapping noise and Elizabeth screamed.

"You bastard!" Rodney cried, his desperation to kill the man now allowing him to wiggle his feet slightly.

"Now," Rione said, taking Elizabeth's other hand. "Are you going to tell me, or do I have to break the other nine?"

"Just you wait," Rodney muttered, a tear slipping down his cheek. He couldn't have wiped it away even if he'd wanted to. "Any minute now, Sheppard's going to break that door down and blow your brains all over the wall."

"I think not, Dr. McKay," Rione said with that same sadistic grin. "In fact i--" He paused and looked away for a moment. Suddenly he smiled. "Casdian has just informed me," he said, releasing Elizabeth's hand, "that they have broken the Athosian."

Both Rodney and Elizabeth were surprised at this. Teyla? Teyla would _never _talk. They didn't have much time to dwell on this fact though, because Rione began speaking again.

"I must admit, Dr. McKay," he said, pulling out the knife again. "You were much stronger than I thought. My apologies." Suddenly, he grabbed Elizabeth by the hair and yanked her head back, jerking the knife across her throat.

"No!" Rodney cried out in horror. Rione couldn't have hurt him more if he'd stabbed the knife into Rodney's heart. "You son of a bitch!" he screamed as Rione released Elizabeth, her lifeless body slumping forward once more as she began to slowly bleed out.

Suddenly, an excruciating pain filled his head and Rodney squeezed his eyes shut as he cried out. After a few more seconds, the pain began to decrease in intensity, feeling as if it were leaving through his forehead. Then the agonizing pain was gone and he fell to the floor, left with a tremendous headache. He opened his eyes and saw Rione standing over him, smiling smugly. Panting, Rodney searched the confines of the cell frantically for Elizabeth. He watched in horror as Niam pulled his hand from her forehead. She fell to the ground with a whimper, and Niam joined the others standing outside the cell.

His head still pounding, Rodney thought about crawling over the sprawled bodies of Ronon and Teyla and pulling Elizabeth into his arms, holding her, telling her everything would be alright.

But he didn't.


End file.
